Global Trust Deficit on China FDI
As China’s major allies in India,
the Communist Party (M) of India (CPM)
seem to have given up their campaign
to gain economic access for Beijing,
there is increasing evidence that
India has many economic reasons not
trust China yet.<More>

Mining Policy to Attract FDI
A new mining policy is being
formalized aiming to attract more
foreign direct investment (FDI)
through joint ventures which is now
only USD 150 million and the new
target investment value is Rs.
100,000 crore (USD 22.22 billion) in
the next 2 years.<More>

Democracy, Politics and
Judiciary

Armed Forces Act Amendment
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visiting Manipur said that his government will
amend the Armed Forces Act withdrawing extraordinary provisions such as
shoot-to-kill thus complying with demands made by many politicians of the
North East (NE).<More>

Environment, Health and Education

Reasons for HIV Propagation
A UNAIDS and World Health Organization (WHO) study has
found that “poor knowledge of HIV” especially “among
homosexual groups,” male prostitution, and unsafe drug
abuse practices are main drivers of HIV propagation.<More>

Forest Guard Recruitment Accelerated
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has
asked all states to urgently fill existing vacancies of
forest guard position especially in Tiger Sanctuaries
even if they have to relax recruitment norms.<More>

BEL Weapon Locating Radars
The Army will start testing indigenously
developed weapon locating radar (WLR) for
“internal evaluation” to further the “shoot and
scoot” doctrine using self-propelled guns and
artillery to loosen up defense before an
offensive onslaught into hostile territory.<More>

Neighbors

Pak Emergent Defense Player
With nuclear-test imposed sanctions being lifted and
being conferred a major non-NATO ally status Pakistan is
being viewed as a serious emergent buyer as it now has
access to weapons, aircraft, and missiles. Its export in
the USD 3 trillion arms market is only USD 200 million
but is expected to grow.<More>

Bangla Army Deployed
Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed ordered the army to
aid civil administration to deal with broad based
blockade of cities by a 14-party opposition led by the
Awami League but also “to avert any unwarranted
situation on the eve of the coming general election.<More>

World

Qualitative Jump in Indo-US Relations
In a major show of good faith, US policy
makers worked into the night to reconcile
the House and Senate versions of the
amendments to US law that would facilitate
Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation and
will be signed into law by US President
George Bush.<More>

Iran Wants US Out of Iraq
Even as Iran said it will help when the US
pulls out of the region, the Iraqi President
rejected recommendations by the Iraq Study
Group because it contained “dangerous
articles” undermining “the sovereignty of
Iraq ” and was an “insult to the Iraqi
people.”<More>

India has enacted the Prevention of Money
Laundering Act (PMLA) that would allow
government agencies to track funding of
terrorist activities and greatly help
intelligence agencies monitor the flow of
funds often indicative of terrorist strikes.